Multiple-picture-displaying device.



A. CAPLAN.

MULTIPLE PICTURE DISPLAYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED FEBI 19, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB-(9,1916- Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

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AUGUST GAPLAN, 01 DENVER, COLORADO.

MULTIPLE-PICTURE-DISPLAYING DEVICE.

Application filed February 19, 1916.

time, and that will display the pictures incontinuous rotative but intermittent order. Second. To provide a manually operating multiple picture or other article displaying diskshaped device, that is provided with a displaying frame and aperture that will' display pictures or other articles arranged at equidistantly spaced distances apart intermittently, and that is adapted to be set on a table in a picture observing position. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved picture displaying device. Fig. 2 is a front view of the inner casing member and parts carried thereby, the outer casingmem ber being removed. Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2, the picture disk being removed to show the disk turning mechanism. Fig. i is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a rear view of a portion of the device, showing the catch for locking the push bar in its depressed position. Fig. 6 is a fragmental plan view illustrating more fully the catch shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a sectional View of the pivot pin upon which the picture disk revolves. And Fig. 8 is a fragmental sectional view showing the manner of locking the inner and outer casing members together.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. l embodies av picture display device embodying my invention. In this figure and in the others of the drawing the nuns l designates a casing which, as illusnated, comprises shallow telescoping members, the casing being round in shape, and is adapted to be supported on a table against a tipping or rolling motion, by a hinged supporting bar 2, the casing being provided with feet Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 9, 1917.

Serial No. 79,328.

3, which, as illustrated, are round balls, but they may be of any desired shape.

The peripheral edge of the outer casing member 5 terminates in a flange 6, that projects at right angles from its edge'and backward from its picture displaying front surface. This flange is wide enough to receive and house the operative parts of the picture displaying mechanism, and within this flange is slid the flange portion 7 of a similarly shaped disk casing 8. The casing is round, as shown, but it may be square or oval or of any other practical picture displaying shape. The outer member of this casing, as illustrated, is provided with a picture displaying aperture 4, at the center of its uppermost portion, which is provided with a picture protecting glass 9, surrounded by a raised oval ring 10, representative of a picture frame. The casing members are preferably made of sheet brass, aluminum or of any other suitable metal or material. The face of the casing member 5, as illustrated, has a smooth finished surface, but l nv be embellished or ornamented as desired.

lne flange of the inner casing bears against the inside surface of the outside casing, while its outside disk surface is flush and even with the edge of the flange 6, of the outer casing, thus leaving a clear space between the two telescoping casing members. The flange of the inner member 8 is provided on its opposite sides with right angled slots 11, and the flange of the outer member 5 is provided with pins 12, that are positioned to enter the slots 11 of the member 8, and thus when the members are turned slightly on each other, to lock them together. The outside surface of this member 8 is provided with a bearing 13, in which a pair of separated hinge eyes are formed. In these hinge eyes are placed the oppositely bent terminal ends of the wire which is bent to form the supporting leg 2, which is wide enough at its lower end to form a support for the picture displaying and housing casing. As illustrated, this supporting leg 2 is made of wire and its lower portion bent to form foot members that. rest on a table at an angle that allows the front display disk to tilt or lean baclr'. observer of its pictures a better View of them. The hinge connection of this supporting leg allows it to be swung against the side of the back casing when it is deordly, thus giving an.

sired to put the displaying device away or to send it from its manufacturers to the selling trade orto purchasers.

Within the hollow casing I mount on a small axle pin 14, a flat thin disk 15, which I willterm the picture holding or displaying disk. Oneend of the axle pin 14C is provided with a thin round disk-shaped head portion 16, that bears close to or against the inside face of the outer casing 5, and the other end of the axle pin is reduced and threaded up to a square shoulder 17, that bears against the inside surface of the rear'casing 8, where the reduced threaded portion extends through an aperture 18, formed in the rear disk and a nut 19 is threaded to it and is turned against the outside surface of this rear disk and clamps the axle pin tightly to the rear disk while the picture holding disk 15 is free to rotate on it.

The disk 15 should be held against accidental turning or side movement in the casing, and to accomplish this I place an expansion coiled spring 20, around the axle pin 14, and arrange it to bear with a resilient expansive pressure against the inside face of the rear casing at one end and against the display disk 15 at its opposite end, and this spring holds the display disk 15 against the round thin disk-shaped head 16 of the axle pin with sufficient pressure to require a finger pressure of the observer of the pictures to turn it, or rotate it on the axle pin, as will be presently described.

The pictures to the number of six, as illustrated, are placed at equidistant points around the surface of the display disk 15 in position to register with the opening at of the outside casing, and they are pasted or are otherwise secured to the surface of the said disk 15. The pictures themselves are kept from rubbing against the inner surface of the outer casing by the thin diskshaped head of the axle pin, which is positioned between the said casing and the disk 15. This picture supporting and carrying disk is provided at a short distance from its axial apertures through which the axle pin passes, with six equidistantly spaced and positioned oblong apertures 21, one side of each of which radiates from its axle center,

and each of these apertures is engaged in alternate order by a finger bar 22, that is pivotally secured inthe end of a bar 23, that is slidably and reciprocally mounted in slideway bearings 24, that are secured on' the inside of the rear disk to receive it. This bar 23 extends up through an aperturein the flange of the rear disk and a recess 25 in the flange of the front disk and extends a short distance above the top of both disks, and .at its end a finger engagingknob 26 is secured. a

The picture disk turning finger bar, projects at an outward angle from the sliding bar, and it has a shortreciprocal swinging movement independent of the sliding bar. The finger 22 is adapted to enter the aperture 21, that is in the path of its free end, and the picture disk is mounted so that there is always one of the apertures in the engaging path of the finger pin. From its outward picture disk aperture engaglng position it is arranged to swing down away from the adjacent side of the finger disk. It is, however, provided with a spring 27, that is secured at one end to the sliding bar, and at, its opposite end bears against the finger pin, and it is arranged to exert a resilient pressure on the outer end of the finger pin which normally holds it at the upper stopped end of its swinging stroke; The outer terminal end of this finger'pin is pointed so that it will enter the apertures readily, and as it is moved down its upwardly sloping end will engage the edges of these apertures and move the picture disk down with a swinging movement that is equal to one-sixth of its rotary movement.

The sliding reciprocating finger pushing bar 23, is provided with a coiled expansive tension spring 28, which surrounds it, one end of which bears against the lower slideway 24, and the opposite end of which bears against a cross-pin 29, that is extended through the bar below the upper slideway lug. Consequently when an operator pushes on the finger knob 26, the bar 23 and the finger pin 22 are pushed down and the finger pin engages the lower edge of the aperture in front of it, which is the central aperture on the right hand side of the picture disk, the finger pin being preferably positioned to engage that side of the picture disk, and turns the picture disk on its axle pin far enough to" move the picture that is in the picture frame out of it and to move the picture on the'left hand side of the picture frame into the picture frame.

It is necessary that the picture disk be moved solely by the finger pin, and that it be held against any accidental turning movement in either direction, and this feature of my invention I preferably carry out in the following manner: The peripheral edge of the picture disk is provided with six ratchet teeth 30, which are spaced at equal distances apart throughout itscircumference, and the pictures on the disk and these ratchet teeth and the apertures around'the center of the disk are all so relatively positioned to each other that the disk is stopped by a spring actuated pawl 31, as each picture on the disk 15' registers with the opening 4.. This pawl comprises a bar 32, that is reciprocally mounted in slideway bearings 33, at the side of the finger pin pushing.

provided with the ratchet tooth engaging bar 23. The upper end-of this pawl bar is a pawl 31, that is moved down into the path of the ratchet teeth by a coiled contraction tension spring 34, which is mounted on the bar, one end of which is secured to a pin 35, that is inserted through the bar, and its opposite end is secured to the lower slideway bearing. This contraction tension spring tends to normally draw the pawl 31 down into the path of the ratchet teeth of the disk, but it is normally held up to the upper end of its reciprocal stroke out of and above the ratchet teeth, and preferably housed in a recess 36, formed in the flange of the rear disk to receive it, by the finger pin bar 23, the expansive spring of which is enough stronger than that of the pawl bar to lift the pawl bar up with it when it returns up to its normal position in which it is ready to be moved to turn the picture disk.

The finger pin bar moves the pawl bar against its spring in the following manner when it moves back upward after a picture disk turning stroke: The pin 35, of the pawl bar is positioned ust above and in the path of the pin 29 of the finger pin bar. Consequently when the. finger pin bar moves upwardly it engages the pin of the pawl bar and carries it and the pawl bar up with it to the ends of the upper strokes of both. The picture disk turning bar has a longer down stroke than the pawl bar. Then when the picture turning bar is pressed down to turn the picture disk, its own spring is compressed and it has no influence in drawing the pawl bar down, but the pawl bar is drawn down by its own contraction spring which was stretched when the finger pin bar moved it up. Consequently the pawl 31 is drawn down and rests upon the circumferential edge of the picture disk as the. finger pins bar is pressed down below it, and when the disk is turned far enough to cause a picture to register with the. opening 4, a tooth 30, of the said disk engages the pawl 31, which is drawn into the path of the said tooth by its spring 34, and thus the rotation of the disk is stopped. The pawl is consequently pushed up by the finger pin bar and is held up by it, but the. instant the finger pin bar is moved, the pawl bar follows it by the contraction tension of its own sprin which draws it down against and holds it against the peripheral surface of the disk, and consequently in the path of its ratchet teeth, which engage it and stop the disk when the finger pin turns them in contact with it.

As it looks better to, have the finger. pushing knob down close to. the top of the disks when not displaying pictures, I have provided a. locking device for securing it in that position, which consists in providing the bar 23 with a notch 37, and a short manually swinging catch 38 is pivotally connected to the underside of the flange 7 at one end and is arranged so that its outer end will swing into the slot when the finger pins bar 23 is pushed down as far as it will go. A slot 39 is formed in the outside of the rear disk opposite to the catch, and a portion of the catch is turned over to extend into the slot and its outer end is turned outward to enable the end of an operators finger to be inserted under it to swing it out and release the finger pins bar, which is then instantly thrown up by its spring.

The operation of my picture displaying device is as follows: After a set of six pictures has been properly pasted or otherwise secured to the front face of the inner disk, one of which will always be exposed in the frame 10, and the parts of the device have been properly connected and secured together, the device is stood on its footings on a table, slightly leaning or tilted backward; then if the push knob 26 is locked in its position close to the top end of the disk, it should be released by moving the locking blade out to release it, when it will instantly spring outward from the disks. Then all the operator has to do is to push the knob down to the end of its stroke, which turns the picture disk one-sixth of its full revolution and changes the picture from the one in the frame to the next one at the left hand side of it. At the time the operator commences to press the push knob down, the picture disk commences to turn as the finger pin 22 hangs downwardly but forwardly enough to extend into and against the lower edge of the adjacent aperture 21, of the picture disk under the downward pressure on the push knob. The pawl 31 also moves down against the peripheral edge of the disk, and as the disk reaches the end of its turning to bring the picture into the frame, the shoulder of the ratchet tooth 3O strikes against the pawl and stops the turning movement of the inner disk and the pawl also bears down hard enough on the periphery of the disk to hold the picture disk from turning backward. Then the operator releases the push knob, which springs upward and as it springs upward the finger pawl runs over the inner surface of the disk adjacent the aperture it has just left and springs into. the next one, ready to engage its edge and again turn the picture disk when the knob is again pushed down.

I have. illustrated my picturev displaying device arranged to display six pictures, but it can be made to display more or less pictures or advertising matter as desired, and while I have. illustrated and described the preferred construction of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to it, as many changes might be made without departing from my invention.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. "In a display device, the combination of two telescoping casings, the front one of which is provided with a display aperture, a disk pivotally and axially supported in said casings, provided with a plurality of e'quidistantly spaced pictures and with concentrically arranged apertures equal in number to the pictures on said disk surrounding its supporting axle, a finger pin arranged to enter each aperture in consecutive order, a push rod extending through said casing for operating said finger to turn said picture disk a predetermined distance, a spring arranged to move said push rod and finger pin on the inoperative stroke of their reciprocal movement, ratchet teeth on the said disk spaced to register with the number of pictures thereon, and a spring actuated pawl mechanism actuated in its operating movement by said push mechanism to engage said ratchet teeth and stop and hold each picture in said display aperture, and means for supporting said device on a table.

2. In a display device, the combination of two telescopic disk shaped casings arranged to be secured detachably together, and provided with supporting footings, the outer disk being provided with a glass protected picture displaying aperture arranged to enable pictures within to be displayed, a picture supporting disk rotatively mounted Within said casings, and provided with ratchet teeth arranged at a plurality of equidistantly spaced points inits circumference, a picture opposite each ratchet tooth on said disk and facing saiddisplay frame, said disk having an aperture adjacent its actual center in alinement with each picture, a push rod having a pawl for turning said picture disk intermittently to cause each picture to register with the display aperture, and a pawl for stopping the disk in picture displaying position. v

'3. In a device of the character described,

' a casing having a sight opening, a headed pin axially mounted in said casing, a picture displaying disk mounted on said pin, having equidistant stop teeth on its circumferential edge, an expansion coil spring on said pin between the picture disk and the back of the casing to press said picture disk against the head of said pin, said disk havinga circular row of equidistant. slots adjacent its axial center, a push bar having a pawl to engage said slots consecutively, an expansion spring for normally holding said push bar in raised position, a bar having a stop pawl for engaging the stop teeth on Copies of this patent may be obtained for on said pin, having equidistant stop teeth on its circumferential edge, of a push bar having a pawl to engage said disk to rotate the same, a spring for normally holding the said push bar up, a pawl to engage the stop teeth of said disk consecutively, a contraction spring for exerting a normal down pull on said pawl, whereby the same is caused to engage the circumferential edge of the said disk and engage a stop tooth thereon, and means carried by the push bar for normally holding the said stop pawl up out of the path of the said stop teeth, and for releasing the same when the stop bar is depressed.

5. In a device of the character described, a casing having a light opening, a picture displaying disk rotatably mounted in said casing, having a circular row of apertures concentric with its axis, a push rod having a spring actuated pawl adapted to engage said apertures to rotate said disk by intermittent steps, a spring actuated pawl controlled by said push bar for stopping said disk at the end of each step movement, and means for locking said push bar in its depressed position. 7

6. In a device of the character described, a casing having a light opening, a picture displaying disk rotatably mounted in said casing having a circular series of concentrically arranged apertures, a push rod having a spring pressed pawl for engaging said apertures to impart a step by step rotative movement to said disk, means controlled by said push rod for stopping said disk at the end of each step movement, said push rod having a notch adjacent its upper end, a spring for retracting said push rod, and a pivoted catch in said casing adapted to en gage the notch in said push rod to hold said rod in a. depressed position. 7 In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- AUGUST CAPLAN. Witnesses: i G. SARGENT ELLIOTT,

ADELLA M. FOWLE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

